Locked Out
by parttimeficwriter
Summary: Ruth locks herself out and her day goes from bad to worse... RH
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed all my previous stuff. I hope you like this, it was just a crazy idea that wouldn't leave me alone. I still don't own any of the characters so please don't sue me.**

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Ruth frantically pushed the front door to her house and tried in vain to get it to open.

"Shit," she muttered, forcefully.

Shaking her head at herself, she tried to take deep breaths and think of a solution. She could hear the house phone ringing through the door and berated herself for being stupid enough to lock herself out of her own house at ten pm on a Friday night. She was cold, it was pouring with rain, she had no key, no phone and was wearing her slippers. Had she not been looking forward to a relaxing evening so much she might have found it slightly amusing.

_Come on Ruth, get it together. Think._ _You work for MI 5 for God's sake_. Seeing no other alternative Ruth decided to try the back door, perhaps it would be easier to find a way in at the back. Of course that would involve walking down the alleyway that ran along the back of her house and climbing over her garden fence, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Stepping out from the cover of the porch and into the rain, she was soaking wet within seconds, her hair plastering itself to her face as she made her way carefully down the path and round to the back of the house. Making sure that she was about to climb over into the right garden, Ruth rued the day she ever decided not to get a gate, and looked for a foothold. The rain continued to bucket down making it hard for her to see what she was doing, but she managed to scale the fence and lower herself into her garden without too much difficulty. She leant against the fence for a second to catch her breath, unaware of the passerby that had seen her scrambling over the fence. Disheveled and starting to shiver as her wet clothes clung to her skin, Ruth headed for the back door . She tried the handle despite knowing it would be locked, and fleetingly mocked herself for her own safety conscious attitude.

Realising there was nothing else for it, Ruth looked around the patio for something to smash the window in. Spotting a rock in the nearby flowerbed, she picked it up, went back to the door and heaved the stone through the glass. Watching the glass shatter she sighed with relief: granted she would have to replace the window, but she would soon be warm and dry again. She was just about to remove some of the remaining glass splinters before reaching her hand through to unbolt the door, when a strong hand clamped down on her shoulder.

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	2. Chapter 2

She had been right about one thing; it hadn't been long before she was warm and dry. As Ruth took in her surroundings she admitted to herself that this hadn't been exactly what she had had in mind. The police cell was small and smelled of disinfectant; she didn't even want to think about any of the previous occupants although she had learnt a few of their names from the graffiti on the walls. She was sat on the cold wooden bench that rang along the length of the room, dwarfed by the clothes that had been provided for her on arrival at the Police station. Grateful for the chance to get out of her wet things, and not wanting to catch pneumonia, she had obligingly swapped her own soaked clothing for the dry jogging bottoms and sweater they offered. She had noted the look of relief on the arresting officer's face when she calmly accepted the clothes and realized that somewhere along the line, she had been pegged as the local nut job. Perhaps it had been the slippers she was wearing outisde in the rain that had tipped the scales on that one she mused.

Ruth was still having a hard time believing that she had been arrested in the first place. Her initial fear at feeling a hand press down onto her shoulder had passed quickly when she had spotted that it was a Police Officer. Embarrassment had quickly followed as she attempted to explain the circumstances but, despite her repeated claims that she owned the property and had merely locked herself out, it had quickly become clear that the fresh faced officer didn't believe a word she was saying. She was adult enough to admit, if only to herself, that the situation probably hadn't been helped by her temper flaring up when the officer had suggested discussing things further at the police station. _Suggested_. Ruth snorted at the thought, it was hardly a suggestion when they slapped you in handcuffs and cautioned you was it?

Ruth had been booked in and taken to her cell after the custody officer had explained that she would be allowed to make a phone call shortly, if she wished to do so, but that she would have to wait until they had sorted out the brawling trio that had just been dragged in. Ruth was actually thankful for the wait, it gave her time to try and figure out what she was going to say to Harry. There really wasn't anyone else she could phone in this situation and if anyone could sort this mess out with the minimum amount of fuss it was Harry. She told herself off sternly for the way her stomach flip flopped at the thought of him coming to her rescue.

The phone call itself had managed to sooth her nerves more than it should have. The sound of his voice had instantly made her feel safe and she relaxed a little knowing that Harry would help her. He had answered the phone on the fourth ring, his tone sharp at being interrupted in the early hours of the morning

"What now?" he barked.

"H-Harry. It's Ruth."

There had been a slight pause and then his voice had softened as he addressed her. "Ruth, Hi."

She smiled, briefly, and enjoyed the way his voice seemed to caress her name. Shaking herself she spoke in a rush, "Erm, I'm in a spot of bother Harry. I need your help with something. I've, uh, I've been arrested. It's all a _huge_ misunderstanding but it seems that I need someone to come and vouch for me."

Ruth paused for breath and tried not to picture the look on Harry's face; she would probably never live this evening down. She waited for him to speak and felt the relief wash over her as he asked which station she was at. Harry had assured her that he would be there in 15 minutes and they awkwardly said goodbye. Ruth was led back to her cell and she resumed her earlier position on the bench as she waited for Harry to arrive.

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	3. Chapter 3

Ruth looked up from her in depth analysis of the floor at the sound of the door opening. She was both relieved and embarrassed to see Harry stood in the doorway. The custody officer left them alone and Harry took a moment to reassure himself that she was ok. He noticed that the clothes she was wearing were too big for her small frame and despite never having pictured her in this precise situation he couldn't help but think she looked beautiful. He wisely decided that now would not be the time to air that particular thought. Instead he settled on asking if she was alright.

"Oh, just peachy" she muttered darkly. Annoyed with herself for being morose she sighed and added honestly, "Thank you for coming Harry."

He nodded and then looked at her with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. There was definite amusement in his voice as he said, "Breaking and Entering, Ruth. That's very, very wrong you know."

"Very funny, Harry," she sighed as she thought to herself that Harry's gentle teasing would probably pale in comparison to what she would be faced when the rest of the team found out. "Can we please just get this mess sorted out and leave the teasing for later?"

Harry almost swallowed his tongue at the inappropriate thought that flashed through his mind at her words; evidently Ruth had had a similar thought if the blush creeping up her face was anything to go by. He liked it when she was flustered around him; it gave him hope that she still felt the same way about him as he did her. Never one to shy away from seizing any opportunity when one presented itself Harry made the decision to use Ruth's incarceration to his advantage.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, quietly.

Ruth took a deep breath and started counting to ten, here she was locked in a jail cell in the small hours of a Saturday morning possibly facing criminal charges for God only knows what and he was asking her what she wanted him to do?

"What do you think I want you to do Harry? Entertain me?!?" Harry raised his eyebrow at her as she started to rant. " I want you to get me the hell out of here. To tell the plods that I am who I say I am, that I'm not a criminal just someone that is daft enough to lock herself out of her house in the pouring rain and get caught by the police whilst attempting to break back in!"

At some point during her outburst she had stood and walked across to where he was leaning against the wall. She was flushed and breathing heavily, her eyes sparking with anger. She was glorious and if it was possible, he fell even more in love with her in that moment.

"Out of interest what do I get for arranging your freedom?"

Ruth's mouth dropped open, and she did an uncanny impression of a fish, as she tried to process what Harry had just said. _He can't be serious_. From the look on his face it was clear he was. She closed her mouth, straightened her shoulders and, with a slight glare, answered ,"My eternal gratitude."

"I think you can do better than that Ruth," his tone was soft, seductive almost, "there are strings to be pulled, records to be expunged, officers to be chastised. I've got quite a task ahead of me."

Blowing out a frustrated breath she admitted defeat. "Fine. Dinner, a movie, whatever you want Harry. Just get me out of here."

"I accept,"he murmured as a small smile flickered at the corners of his mouth. He felt a little guilty at manipulating the situation for his own ends but knew he had done far worse things in his time.

"Come on then."

"Huh?" she replied less than eloquently.

Harry looked at her, pointedly, and waited for the penny to drop. It didn't take her long to figure out that he had played her.

"You already sorted it all out didn't you?"

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	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N : This one is for the POGs and NOGs. I still don't own anything so don't sue me. Ta x_**

Ruth wanted to be annoyed at Harry for what he had done, but when she thought about it, all she could think was that it was a strangely romantic thing to do. Not that she was about to tell him that: no it was better for all concerned if she at least pretended to be a little upset about it. Glaring at him as best as she could manage, she swept past him and out of the door, fighting not to betray the smile that was threatening to form when she spotted the adorably sheepish grin that he was sporting.

Fortunately for Ruth, the presence of the custody officer brought her back to reality and she gladly followed him to the reception area. With a minimal amount of fuss, Ruth was able to retrieve her belongings; she very graciously accepted an apology from the Custody Sergeant, before following Harry out of the building and to his car.

At this time of day, the journey to Ruth's house had only taken them a few minutes. She was glad Harry was with her because she still didn't have a key to get in. Knowing Harry as she did, she knew that his lock picking abilities were second to none, but she was still surprised when he had the door open in less than a minute.

Holding the door open for her, Harry winked as she walked past and stated quietly "One of my many talents"

Not trusting herself to respond to that in any appropriate way, she chose instead to smile at him briefly. She started walking up the stairs as she spoke "I'm going to get changed. Make yourself at home Harry, I'll be down in a minute"

Harry set off in the direction of the kitchen in the hope of finding something to do that would distract him from thoughts of Ruth getting changed. Deciding to make some tea, Harry pottered about in the kitchen: it took him three attempts, but he finally found the tea bags and busied himself making the tea.

When Ruth still hadn't re-emerged, Harry decided to check that the smashed window had been boarded up. The Police sergeant had assured him that it was standard procedure not to leave any premises insecure but Harry's opinion of the Police, which was always relatively low, had sunk to new levels after this evening and he wasn't about to take anything they said for granted. The board seemed secure enough, he'd remind Ruth to get it replaced later today though - the last thing she needed was to get broken into properly.

By the time she came back downstairs, Harry was sat in the lounge drinking his tea. Her cup was waiting for her on the coffee table, and she drank the hot sweet liquid as she settled herself on the sofa with a weary sigh.

"You should get some rest Ruth, I'll leave you to it" Harry said, as he drained his cup

"I'm fine Harry, I've been awake much later than this on many occasions, as you well know"

"Yes, well it isn't every night you get to spend the evening in a jail cell is it? Besides you look exhausted"

"Thank you." She mock glared at him for the comment, as she carried on speaking "If it makes you happy I'll sleep for a couple of hours before I come in today"

"Come in? Are you insane? For one thing it's Saturday, there is no immediate threat and any paperwork can wait. For another thing you are no help to any of us if you're exhausted"

Harry saw her mouth open as she started to object but he cut her off "Ruth, if you so much as set foot in Thames House today I will personally see to it that you become Juliet's new personal assistant "

"There's no need to fuss Harry, really"

Ruth had to stifle a laugh at the look of indignation that settled on Harry's face. Evidently he did not like been told he was fussing.

"Fuss? I'm not fussing woman I'm just trying to get you into bed"

A stunned silence filled the room following Harry's outburst.

TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

**_I still don't own anything and probably couldn't afford to buy them anyway..._**

**_Big thanks to Nonsenseandmischief for all her help x_**

**_On with the fic..._**

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Harry could feel the heat flood his face as embarrassment set in. They were stood opposite each other and Harry, mortified though he was, refused to break eye contact with her. A fraction of his mind had registered her reaction to his words and he felt a small surge of pride as he noted her flushed cheeks and her sudden erratic breathing. She didn't look horrified at the thought either, which gave his ego a nice boost. _Concentrate Harry, think of something intelligent to say _he told himself sternly. Silence. _Right we may be over-reaching for 'intelligent', just say something. Anything. _Harry swore at himself and tried desperately to get his brain and mouth to work at the same time, praying that he could think of something that wouldn't make the situation any more awkward than it already was.

Ruth was still stunned, unlike Harry her problem seemed to be that there were far too many thoughts buzzing about in her head for her to be able to articulate any of them. Rationally she knew that Harry's words had been said innocently but she also knew there was an underlying truth to them nonetheless. The undercurrent of sexual tension was always present between them, even more so since their one and only date and if she were truthful her mind had been plagued with less than pure thoughts about Harry Pearce for a long time.

She looked at him now and almost laughed at the comical expression on his face: she had never before seen him at a total loss for words. He was always so commanding and usually exuded a calm confidence - not so at this moment in time. Impulsively, she decided to keep him on the back foot, and her soft voice broke the silence.

"So you're not trying to get me in to bed then?"

That had certainly got his attention and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"What? NO. I didn't mean it like that. Not that I wouldn't want to, or that I haven't thought about...um, I don't seem to be explaining myself very well…" Harry trailed off infinitely more embarrassed than when he had started; something he hadn't believed was at all possible.

Ruth took great pleasure in watching him squirm as he tried to talk his way out of the situation. She was grinning at him like a mad woman by the time he had finished rambling, pleased with herself for getting a little payback and for making him admit more than he had meant to.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" he asked, ruefully, as he spotted her grinning.

"I bet you say that to all the girls Harry."

"Ruth!" he exclaimed, shocked but pleased at witnessing the playful side of her nature. She was laughing fully now and he couldn't help but start to laugh with her. He supposed he deserved it after his performance at the Police Station. When their laughter died down, they were both relieved to feel the awkwardness between them gone. Feeling bold Harry shuffled closer to her, closing some of the gap.

"Do you promise not to go into work?" Ruth rolled her eyes at him but nodded in agreement.

Harry rewarded her with a genuine smile and she felt her stomach flutter at the sight of it. "Good. In that case I'll treat you to dinner. In fact, I'll even cook. Come to my housefor 8 O'clock." He reached his right hand up to her cheek and ran the backs of his fingers down her soft skin. His voice was lower as he continued, "You really should rest now. Sweet dreams Ruth."

Without another word he turned and left the room. Ruth was dimly aware of the sound of the front door closing behind him. Shaking herself she managed to move from the spot she had been rooted to and automatically headed upstairs towards her bedroom. As she climbed under the covers and into her bed she couldn't help but replay the feel of his fingers on her skin. _Sweet Dreams Ruth_ he had said, she smiled knowing they would be. He was all she ever dreamed of any way.


	6. Chapter 6

**_I still don't own anything, anyone who thinks otherwise is just delusional..._**

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Harry had just finished opening the bottle of wine when the doorbell rang. He noted with slight amusement that, for once in her life, she was on time for something. Harry couldn't help but smile at the sight of her on his doorstep. She was nervously moving from one foot to the other but managed a quick smile at him as he stepped back and welcomed her into his home.

Harry ushered her into his living room; being a good host he took her coat and offered her something to drink. He returned promptly with two glasses of wine and offered one to Ruth.

"The food shouldn't be too long, I hope you're hungry."

"Starved. It smells delicious by the way."

"Lets hope it tastes as good!" The comment earned him a smile and they settled into conversation easily after that. Harry excused himself every so often to tend to the food and eventually announced that dinner was ready.

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The food had indeed been delicious; apparently Harry was quite the chef. Conversation had flowed easily between the pair; both feeling relaxed in the others company. Harry had told her some of the scrapes he had got in to as a young agent and she in turn had regaled him with tales from her university days.

"Where did you learn to cook so well Harry?" She had been wondering ever since she tasted the first mouthful of the meal. Harry tilted his head slightly to one side as her regarded her warily.

"I'm afraid that information is classified."

"I can keep a secret Harry, you know that," she tried to coax him gently, when he merely raised an eyebrow in response she decided to change tack slightly. "How about an exchange? You tell me your secret and I'll tell you something about me."

There was no denying the spark of interest in his eyes and she suppressed a knowing grin.

He was staring at her intently but she wasn't fazed, she knew him too well by now to be intimidated by his stare.

"Do we have a deal?" she asked finally getting impatient.

"How do I know that after offering up my information that you won't tell me something benign like the fact that you don't like oranges?"

"I guess you'll just have to trust me Harry," she retorted with a smirk. Harry shook his head at her but started to tell the story anyway.

"I was madly in love with a woman who ran a cookery course at our local college. Being that I was 17 and she was in her early twenties she wasn't likely to give me the time of day so I enrolled on the course. I never missed a class and I tried desperately to impress her every week."

"Did it work?"

Harry laughed briefly "Not in the way I had hoped." He picked up his wine and took a small drink from it, watching her as she laughed at his story "Your turn Miss Evershed."

"I don't like oranges," she deadpanned, pausing for effect before laughing at his expression.

"Just for that, I want to know something big," he told her with a mock glare.

Ruth fiddled with her wine glass for a few moments before she said quietly "I fell in lust, although I thought it was love at the time, with my lecturer. All terribly cliché really, he wasn't married or anything like that but it caused quite the scandal when people found out. It didn't help either that I was an A grade student and people wrongly assumed that I had slept my way to the top of the class."

Ruth chanced a quick look at Harry and was glad to see that he had understood what she was telling him. Seeing her inquiring gaze, Harry reached across the table for her hand and squeezed it gently until she looked at him.

"What happened?" he asked gently, although he feared he already knew the answer.

"He broke it off, said he couldn't risk his career or his reputation. I changed my course and threw myself in to my studies. I was daft enough to think that I might have meant as much to him as he did to me. Harry…"

"I'm not him Ruth."

That earned him a dazzling smile.

"Oh Harry I know that. What I'm trying to tell you is that I was scared and I panicked. Slightly bonkers to run away from the one thing you know you want the most I know but that happens some times. I know this isn't some tragic repeat of history - for one thing I know that it's love this time."

"It certainly is." Harry returned her smile with one of his own; they sat there unmoving for a few moments both suddenly nervous and excited about the turn of events. "Although there's quite a healthy dose of lust in there too," he said in a low seductive voice.

Ruth blushed, as he had known she would, and he took advantage of her momentary bashfulness to stand up and pull her from her chair until she was stood millimetres from him. He reached a hand out to brush a stray lock of hair from her face, whispering "I love you" before finally closing the distance between them and crushing his lips to hers.

There was no hesitancy anymore - that had flown out of the window when Ruth had traced his lips with her tongue. As they pulled out of the kiss, breathless and giddy Ruth dimly registered that at some point Harry had pinned her against the fridge door. He was currently taking the opportunity to acquaint his lips with her neck.

"Harry…" she groaned, basking in the feel of his lips and tongue sliding down her neck.

"Mmmm… " she felt rather than heard him speak, the vibrations from his voice making her knees go weak, it took all her concentration to utter her next words: his mouth was a wonderful distraction! "Take me to bed."

He stopped his exploration of her silky skin to look at her briefly.

"With pleasure" he growled as he reached for her hand and led her out of the kitchen. She had a last fleeting thought that she was extremely thankful for getting arrested before all she was capable of thinking about was the man in front of her.

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Tbc...

**_This was going to be the last chapter but I have been told -sorry I mean asked- to write another part..._**


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter has contents of an adult nature. If you are easily offended, I suggest you skip this chapter.**

**_This is written at N&M's request..._**

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Harry practically dragged her across the hallway and halfway up the stairs; he heard Ruth giggle and turned to look at her inquiringly.

"I don't think I've ever seen you move so fast," she offered by way of explanation in between her laughter.

"I can go as fast or as slow as you like, Ruth," he murmured as he shot her a smouldering look which made her stomach flip. Without warning she pulled him to her and locked her lips with his, Harry lost his balance slightly resulting in Ruth being forced against the wall. They were lost in the taste of each other, hot breath mingling together.

Harry moved his hands to the bottom of her top and gently stroked the smooth expanse of stomach underneath; his questing fingers soon found her lacy underwear and the soft curve of her breast. Feeling him touch her body so intimately turned Ruth on more than anything or anyone had before. She gave in to temptation and lowered her hands to his bottom and squeezed momentarily. It really was as nice as she had imagined it would be.

Frustrated with the barrier her clothing was providing Harry grasped the bunched material and started to prise it from her body, seeing his intentions Ruth raised her arms to help him. In their haste they managed to knock one of the pictures of the wall, it tumbled to the floor momentarily distracting Ruth. The feel of Harry hooking his fingers under her bra strap and easing it down her shoulder brought her back to the present. She laughed briefly as he murmured, "I never liked that picture anyway," before his lips connected with her skin. Her laughter turned to a moan as he placed biting kisses along her shoulder and up the side of her neck. She felt his tongue lick behind her ear, his breath hot against her skin as he whispered, "I want you so much."

Taking that as her cue Ruth hastily reached for his belt and started to undo it, Harry felt his breath catch as she fumbled to get the button undone. He was about to help her when he felt her hand snake inside his boxer shorts, trousers falling to the floor and pooling around his ankles. Her hand was moving torturously slow up and down the length of him, driving him crazy with desire. He distracted himself by kicking his trousers off completely, before begrudgingly removing her hand. She smiled at him knowingly and he captured her lips in a punishing kiss as he opened the fastening on her skirt and let it drop to the floor. She moved her kisses down his neck and cried out as she felt his fingers slide into her warmth. Her hands clawed at his back and she moved to rest her forehead against his, her breath coming in small pants as he pushed her towards the edge. She mewled in protest when she felt him remove his fingers but he silenced her with a kiss. Pulling back slightly Harry pushed his underwear down and kicked them off, before pushing her underwear down her legs. She had managed to get one leg out of them before he was lifting her up and pushing into her.

Ruth wrapped her legs around him and they set a hard, frantic pace. It wasn't long before Harry felt her tighten around him; he pounded into her and watched with delight as her orgasm tore through her. The sound of his name on her lips pushing him over the edge as he exploded inside her.

He looked at her and felt a surge of pride that he had reduced her to this dazed and dishevelled state.

"You're a bad influence on me."

She laughed joyously and kissed him again

"Is that a complaint?" she mumbled between kisses.

He could feel the stirrings of arousal again and marvelled at the way his body responded to hers.

"Absolutely not." He grinned and pulled her up the stairs. "In fact, feel free to influence me some more."

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Tbc...


	8. Chapter 8

**_Once again I don't own anything, forgot to say that last time, must have been all the *cough* excitement..._**

**_On with the story..._**

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After their passionate clinch on the stairs and their initial hunger satisfied, Ruth and Harry had made love slowly and intensely, both learning the contours of the others body; driving each other to distraction before allowing themselves to join together and fall into the abyss. They had lain together afterwards cocooned in their own bliss and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

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Ruth opened her eyes slowly, sleep still fogging her brain. She wondered briefly where she was. The feel of a warm hand on her stomach brought the memories of the previous night flooding back. She turned her head quickly and saw Harry watching her with a sleepy grin on his face.

"Morning," she said softly before leaning in to kiss him.

Harry wrapped his strong arms around her small frame and pulled her closer to him as he deepened the kiss. They happily entwined themselves together, kissing softly and enjoying the precious moments of waking together for the first time. Ruth had started to draw lazy circles on his back, relishing the fact that she could finally touch him; caress him; as she had so often wanted to do. She could feel the effect her touch was having on him and smiled through the kiss

"What are you smiling about?" he asked as he moved his kisses across her chin and down to her neck.

"You," she muttered a little breathlessly "You're insatiable."

He pulled back briefly and looked up at her. "Only when properly motivated."

Ruth laughed, pleased with the implied compliment. "You're not too bad yourself, for an old guy," she remarked with a devilish glint in her eyes. She shrieked as he moved quickly and she found herself pinned to the mattress. Harry loomed over her, fixing her with a mock glare and growling "I'll show you old" before capturing her lips in a heated kiss and they were lost in passion once more.

They had spent the rest of the morning at his house, reading the Sunday papers and generally enjoying each other's company. Harry had protested when Ruth had announced she had to go home but had to admit that she would look rather daft arriving at work the following morning in her rumpled date wear. She appeased him by kissing him sweetly and explaining that she was merely suggesting relocation to her house not a parting. Sometime later they had arrived at her house with an overnight bag for Harry and Scarlet in tow – Ruth had insisted on not leaving the dog alone and just prayed that the cats were welcoming to the house guests.

Sunday evening found the pair snuggled up on the couch in Ruth's living room. She was laid with her head across his lap whilst he stroked her hair. Hearing her sigh he asked what was wrong.

"I don't want today to end."

"It doesn't have to Ruth. We can be who we are and still have each other. There are times it will be difficult, I'm aware of that, but we can deal with it just like we always do." His hand resumed its soothing presence in her hair.

"What will we tell people?"

"The truth."

She snorted "What that I got arrested in my own back garden and you took advantage of the situation to seduce me?"

He laughed slightly, glad that some of the playfulness had returned. "Hang on, I didn't seduce you. _You_ seduced _me._"

She sat up and turned to face him. "And in which alternate universe was this Harry?"

He leaned into her as he spoke in a low voice. She was fast recognising the husky tone and it sent a shiver of excitement up her spine.

"The one where you begged me to take you to bed." Harry carried on, whispering hotly in her ear, "The one where you smashed my house up in your haste to get naked." His hand started to trail slowly up her thigh as he teased her with his words. "The one where you cried my name out in ecstasy, more than once." He bit her earlobe gently and was gratified to hear her moan softly. He retreated to the other side of the sofa and watched her blink rapidly as she registered the loss of his presence. Her eyelids fluttered open to find him with a smug look on his face; she narrowed her eyes at him but conceded defeat.

"You win." Ruth stood and started to cross the room quickly, "Follow me if you want to claim your prize."

Harry didn't need telling twice and eagerly followed her out of the room and up the stairs. Thoughts of the grid and their colleagues vanishing as Harry began to worship her body. Tomorrow would come whether she wanted it to or not, they would cross that bridge when they got to it. For now she focused on the positives; Harry Pearce was in her bed, branding her as his own, whispering words of devotion into her skin. Nothing else mattered.

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Tbc?


	9. Chapter 9

**I think we're all aware by now that I don't own these characters...**

Ruth added the finishing touches to her report and clicked the save button on her computer screen. She was pleased with herself for finishing the report in time for her lunch date with Harry. She gathered her belongings and exited through the pods, picking up her pace as she realized she was going to be a few minutes late. Harry was leaning against the wall on the embankment waiting for her. Knowing her as he did, he wasn't perturbed to find she was a little late. He turned to her and smiled as he felt her eyes on him

"Am I late?" she asked, even though she knew she was

"Aren't you always?" He retorted with a smirk before grasping her hand briefly and giving it a gentle squeeze to let her know he was teasing. He pushed away from the wall and together they walked through the lunchtime crowds, heading for a small café.

Ros Myers breathed a sigh of relief as she escaped from Thames House. A brisk walk to blow the cobwebs away was what she needed: hanging around the grid on at lunch time in the vain hope of chatting to a certain technological genius, like a schoolgirl with a crush, was not the best way to retain the reputation as a cold hearted bitch which she had worked so hard to cultivate. She wasn't even sure what it was she liked about him, God knows he wasn't her usual type but then again perhaps that was the point. Frustrated with herself for allowing thoughts of him to monopolize her quiet time, she paused and took in her surroundings. Without knowing why, she had wandered to the embankment. She was just about to turn around and leave when she spotted two familiar figures further down the path. She watched them discreetly and smiled a genuine smile as she saw Harry reach for Ruth's hand. Ros felt like punching the air and shouting; not that she cared if they were together or not, her lunchtime stroll had just earned her a nice few quid. Ros turned and made her way back to Thames House with a spring in her step, already thinking about what she would spend her money on.

Ruth entered the pods and could hear the squabbling from in there. _What are they arguing about now? _Sshe wondered, managing to pick out the group huddled around Zaf's desk that were responsible for the noise. Ruth was surprised to hear Jo shriek something about a lack of hard evidence and made her way over to the group to find out what was going on.

"Everything alright?" she asked, her eyes scanning the group. Ruth spotted Jo rubbing her shin but didn't have time to question her before Adam swooped in with an explanation

"Yes, fine. Just a debate about detaining terror suspects." He steered Ruth towards her desk as he spoke "It got a bit heated"

"So I heard" she said as she rolled her eyes "It's a good job Harry wasn't here, it could have turned into World War Three" she offered jokingly.

Adam smiled and asked casually "Speaking of Harry any idea where he is?"

"No idea. It may come as a surprise to you Adam but I'm not his personal assistant"

Adam smiled sardonically and let her win the point, leaving him with the disturbing thought that if Ruth was lying she was extremely proficient at it. He hadn't been able to tell one way or the other.

It hadn't taken her long to realise that she was being watched: for spies they were being incredibly obvious. Pperhaps she could ask Harry to arrange for them to get sent back to basic training, she thought wickedly. The only puzzling thing was why the entire grid was suddenly interested in her every move. Being the kind of person she was, Ruth fell back on the familiar and analysed the information. There was only one logical conclusion: someone knew something about her and Harry. Interestingly, Ruth was not filled with panic at the thought. In fact, she was rather enjoying having a secret. Ruth waited until everyone was at their desks before heading into Harry's office, acutely aware of everyone watching her.

She barged into his office in her usual manner, dumping the files she carried onto his desk and causing him to look up from what he was doing.

"We've been found out Harry" he tilted his head to one side and raised an eyebrow at her as she continued "I won't go into all the details now but we are definitely being watched"

"Are you ok?" he asked gently causing her to smile softly at him as she nodded

"Good, what do you want to do about it?"

"Lets have some fun with them" she said grinning impishly

"Play them at their own game?"

"Exactly"

"It's utterly devious, I love it"

Tbc...


	10. Chapter 10

**_Sorry it's taken a while for me to up-date this, hopefully the next chapter won't take me as long! Thanks to Em for the beta..._**

* * *

Ruth didn't know whether she was amused or disturbed by the fact that she and Harry had convincingly managed to fool a team of highly trained intelligence operatives for a period of almost two weeks. They had started off innocently enough, flirting mildly with one another whilst other people were in earshot, and gauging the reactions around them to make sure that Ruth's assumptions had been correct. Their suspicions had been confirmed when Ruth had casually reached up and straightened Harry's tie for him as they stood in front of Jo's desk, discussing the watch list. Jo had almost fallen out of her chair trying to signal to Zaf that he should be watching the public display of affection taking place in front of her, but he was unaware of Jo's arm flapping due to the presence of a pretty admin girl. Zaf found himself on the receiving end of an icy glare from his flatmate when Harry had shouted across the grid "Zaf, I think Jo wants you" before he walked into the pods and left the grid. Ruth had taken a swift interest in a report on her desk, hoping that no one would see her satisfied smirk.

A few days later Ruth had returned from the registry to find a bouquet of flowers on her desk. She tried not to smile as she thought of Harry sending them to her No-one had ever sent flowers to her at work before and she made a mental note to thank him for them later. Now though, she needed to find a way of diverting suspicion from Harry. As she reached for the card stuck to the front of the flowers, she noticed Zaf openly watching her. He had a large knowing grin on his face, one which she decided to remove for him. Aware of the excited buzz now rippling through the grid, Ruth opened the card slowly; she wasn't surprised to find that it was blank apart from a solitary kiss.

"Nice flowers" he stated. Ruth slid her gaze from the card to Zaf and then back again, her brow creasing as she did so. She pretended to take a calming breath before walking over to where he was sat.

"Yes they are" she wrung her hands together nervously. "Listen Zaf, um, I'm flattered that you'd send me flowers but I um I don't think of you in that way."

Ruth had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing at the look of horror that swept over his face.

"What? I didn't send them! Ruth, I swear…"

"It's ok Zaf" she cut him off "I'm not going to make a big deal of it. Like I said I am flattered, they're beautiful. We can still be friends, just nothing more. Is that ok?" she looked at him expectantly and Zaf found himself nodding, unsure how he had ended up being held responsible.

His confusion grew even more when his credit card statement arrived later that week and showed a payment to Interflora.

* * *

After two weeks, the general feeling amongst the team was frustration. They all now realised that Harry and Ruth were toying with them. It wasn't often in their line of work that people got the chance to blow off some steam and this cat and mouse game had been seized upon eagerly by those involved. Zaf and Ros were clearly still motivated by the chance at winning the betting pool. Jo was a total romantic and made no attempt to hide the fact that she thought Harry and Ruth made a sweet couple. Adam, on the other hand, secretly wondered how Harry would react to being referred to as sweet. Adam was almost certain that Malcolm had joined in more to spend time with Ros than out of any concern or interest in Ruth and Harry's personal life. His own involvement stemmed from wanting two people he cared about to be happy, the fact that a happy Harry made for an easier working environment was just an added bonus.

Zaf, Adam, Ros, Malcolm and Jo were all sat in Adam's living room, having agreed to meet in order to discuss how best to make Harry and Ruth give in. It wasn't going to be easy; Harry and Ruth had to be the two most stubborn people on the planet.

"Any ideas?" asked Adam.

"Put a tracker on them?" offered Jo.

"Too obvious, they'd spot a tail a mile off too."

After some deliberation and exasperated that, even though they now all believed her, she still hadn't been presented with her winnings, Ros came up with the perfect solution.

"Why doesn't Jo just put some moves on him? He'll either crumble and confess that he can't or he'll go along with it and we do everything we can to make Ruth jealous."

"Why me?!" Jo asked, slightly terrified at the task of coming onto her boss.

"Because, pumpkin, it's either you or me. Harry would never believe it if I came on to him." The sweet tone of her voice made it seem like she was talking to a five year old. _Plus, I have enough obstacles trying to get Malcolm to ask me out without complicating matters further._ She added to herself silently.

Jo's protests had been overruled by the majority, she had to face facts. Either she would die of embarrassment by actually asking him on a date or quite possibly Ruth would kill her when she found out about it.

"That's settled then." announced Adam as he saw the others nod in approval "Jo we're counting on you."

* * *

By Monday morning Jo had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, her palms wouldn't stop sweating and she nearly had a heart attack when Harry bid her good morning. She hadn't managed to sleep at all since Saturday night, trying and failing to come up with a plausible way of asking Harry out. Zaf had been no help, constantly teasing her and making annoying jokes. Sometimes, she reflected, it was like living with her little brother again.

She knew that the sooner she could get it over and done with, the easier she would feel...well, unless he actually did agree to go out with her. She shook her head at herself. _No, he won't agree to it Jo. Just go in there and get it over with. It's not like you're going to ask Adam out!_ That thought made her gulp and she bolted out of her seat, grabbed some files randomly and bounded across the grid before she could talk herself out of it.

Harry looked up from his desk as his office door slid open; he tried not to show his disappointment that it was Jo standing in the doorway and not Ruth.

"Joanna. What can I do for you?"

"Some reports that I need your signature on" she stated waving the files at him.

"Well I can't sign them if you keep standing in the doorway Jo."

He looked at her with bemusement as she took a second to understand his words before nervously moving her way towards his desk "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Fine thanks" she said hastily, nodding her head enthusiastically to emphasise the point.

Harry wasn't sure what was going on but he knew that something was afoot; he hadn't seen Jo be this nervous around him since her first days on the grid. He signed the reports quickly and handed them back. He was about to ask if she needed anything else but she cut him off.

"Harry, do you have plans later?" The words came out in a rush and Harry had to take a moment to separate them out.

Whatever he had been expecting her to say, that wasn't it. If she hadn't been so terrified throughout the whole ordeal Jo would have laughed at the look on his face. Not many people managed to surprise Harry Pearce; she was quite proud that she had done so. He masked his surprise quickly, thoughts racing through his head as to what the hell was going on.

"Plans? No, I don't think I have. Why?" his tone was wary and Jo was back to feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

She had no idea where her sudden courage came from but she managed to square her shoulders, look him in the eye and ask him out for a drink.

"A drink? Well I, uh I'm not sure…"

"Just a drink Harry, nothing more. Say seven at The Fox and Hound?"

Before he had chance to agree or, more importantly, disagree, the sight of Ruth walking into the room interrupted them. Jo made a hasty retreat from the office; she didn't much fancy the idea of explaining the past 10 minutes to Ruth.

Puzzled at the look on Jo's face as she practically ran out of the office, Ruth turned her focus to Harry.

"What on Earth was that about?"

Harry was still slightly dazed by the turn of events and was thrown at having to explain to his girlfriend that one of their much younger colleagues had just made a date with him. He didn't really think Ruth was the jealous type but realised that she probably wouldn't be impressed he hadn't exactly managed to turn her down.

"Er, that was Jo. Asking me out. On a date."

Harry risked a quick glance at her face to see her reaction and was amazed, if not a little put out, to find her smiling widely. At his look she rolled her eyes and explained it to him.

"They know we're together Harry. This is a set up. It has to be"

"How do you know she hasn't been harbouring an all consuming desire for me and just now decided to act upon it?" Even as the words left his mouth Harry realised that the chances of Jo having a secret desire for him were limited. "You're right, it's a set up."

"Question is, how far are they prepared to take this."

"You're not seriously suggesting that I go?" he asked incredulously.

"Why not?"

"Well, I didn't think you'd want me to."

"You'd prefer me to be jealous about it and beg you not to go?" he could hear the amusement in her voice as she spoke.

"Maybe" he muttered and shrugged his shoulders in response. "It wouldn't kill you to be a little jealous of me going out with another woman."

Ruth suddenly understood that somewhere in the last five minutes she had managed to hurt his feelings. Slowly, she walked around his desk, and perched against it beside him, close enough to him that she could smell his cologne and feel his arm pressing lightly against her leg as he continued to lean on his desk morosely. She looked at him and waited patiently for him to acknowledge her, lowering her voice and leaning into him slightly when he did.

"Are you in love with me?" she asked.

"You know I am" he admitted begrudgingly, still a little hurt.

"Do you believe me when I say that I'm in love with you?"

"Yes."

"Would you much rather be at home with me than in a pub with Jo?"

"Yes."

"Then I have nothing to be jealous of."

"I suppose."

"Besides, if anyone has been harbouring an all consuming desire for your body, it's me. I'll prove it to you anytime you like."

Hearing the slight change in his breathing at her words Ruth winked at him before moving off his desk and walking out of the office. She tried to suppress her grin when she spotted Jo ducking her head to avoid her gaze.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Cheers Em x...**_

* * *

Jo looked down and checked her outfit for a final time before walking into the pub. She was incredibly nervous and could not believe that she was about to try and come on to her boss. She spent most of her time in awe of him, if not a little terrified at times. She now rued the fact that she had let Zaf and Adam influence her outfit, the resulting low cut top and skin tight jeans making her feel more, not less, self-conscious. She had argued that Harry was hardly likely to crumble at the first flash of her cleavage but they had been adamant.

Jo felt her heart pounding as she spotted him leaning against the bar and tried to focus on the task ahead, just as she would in an operation. She was very aware of the fact that she felt as if she were going on a date with her Father...not that she had ever dated her dad, just that this was how incredibly wrong she supposed it would feel.

Harry had settled himself against the bar as he waited for her to arrive. He had planned on coming straight to the pub from the office but had more than happily agreed to finish early and go home with Ruth. A small smile tugged at his full lips as he recalled how they had spent part of their time together. She had watched him get ready for his 'date' insisting that he make a proper effort, telling him how sexy he looked in his blue shirt before kissing him briefly but passionately and sending him on his way.

From his position at the bar, Harry had a perfect view of the door and had to bite the inside of his cheek not to laugh when he took in Jo's appearance. Did she really think that a low cut top was going to make him break? Harry had more experience in the field and in dealing with honey traps than she had had hot dinners. There was no denying that she was an attractive girl – but that's what she was to Harry, a girl. There were times when she reminded him of his daughter and Harry shuddered at the thought.

"Hi Harry" Jo smiled and made sure her tone sounded enthusiastic.

"Hello." Harry caught her off guard and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek "Let me get you a drink."

Jo had managed to mumble that she would have a glass of wine and was glad when Harry turned away to order the drinks. _What the hell was that?_ Harry did not go around kissing people in greeting, not that she was aware of anyway. She realised that he was trying to rattle her: she'd only been there five minutes and he had succeeded. Maybe she needed to be a bit more forward?

Jo waited for Harry to get served before she placed her hand on his arm and squeezed gently to get his attention. She suggested getting a table and he agreed to follow her with the drinks. He noted that she had picked a table in the most secluded part of the bar and tried not to wish that he was here with Ruth instead as he sat down opposite Jo.

Several drinks later, Harry had to admit that Jo was making an admirable effort. As her boss he was proud of her abilities and realised that he wouldn't hesitate to put her in this situation professionally. Other than that he just wanted to cringe. She had definitely become bolder in her approach to him, flirting more as the time passed. She was attentive and laughed at his jokes, maintained eye contact with him and touched him frequently. Throughout it all though, he could tell that she wasn't as comfortable with the situation as she was making out. He knew how to read body language and it amused him to see her shoulders stiffen every time she touched him.

Somewhere in the course of the evening, Harry had decided he had had enough of playing games. His spare time was limited as it was and he wasn't happy at having to waste it in a smoky pub with Jo when he could be with Ruth. He tried to focus on what Jo was saying but, the truth was, his mind kept wandering back to Ruth. Enough was enough. He wasn't head of section for nothing. Time to change the game.

Without warning Harry moved his hand across the table and covered Jo's. Startled she looked at him and swallowed at the look in his eyes.

"I think we both know what's going on here Jo," he murmured, "As pleasant as this evening has been, I know you don't want to be here any more than I do. Am I right?"

It didn't take long for her to nod her head in agreement; she could feel the relief sweeping through her as Harry leant back and removed his hand from hers. For the first time that evening he gave her a genuine smile.

"I thought so. Lets cut to the chase shall we?" at her nod he continued, "I'm flattered Jo, really, but I think you've gathered that my affections lie elsewhere, and I know for a fact that you would rather be here with Adam."

"So you _are_ together then?"

"I'll answer that, if you agree not to tell the others."

"But…"

"Hear me out. All I want you to do is tell them you didn't find anything out. You had a good time, whatever, but you're none the wiser. Got that?"

Jo nodded slowly, unsure where he was going with this "What will that achieve though?"

"Just tell me that you'll do as I ask and then I'll explain."

"Ok."

"I have your word?"

"Yes, Harry."

He smiled at her in gratitude, picked up his drink and finished it off.

"Good." He looked at his watch before continuing, "I should go now, Ruth will be wondering where the hell I've got to."

"Not before you explain Harry, we had an agreement"

"How many people in the world do you think I would go along with something like this for? Only one, I can tell you. I went along with it for Ruth; she needs to feel comfortable about telling people we're together. I need it to be her that decides when to come clean because ultimately she's the one that will get gossiped about and teased."

"We wouldn't tease her about it."

"Jo, you can't speak for everyone and I don't imagine that there would be any malice meant but she's an incredibly private person and cares very much about other people's opinions. Do you understand?"

"Sure. She's a lucky woman Harry."

"You don't need to butter me up anymore Jo, I told you Ruth and I are together!" He smiled to let her know that he was joking before offering her a lift home.

* * *

Ruth paced the kitchen floor as she stared at the cordless phone in her hand. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told her it was almost half past eleven and she still hadn't heard from Harry. She debated with herself for the umpteenth time whether or not to ring him. _What if he didn't answer?_ Frustrated with herself, and with him for not contacting her, she slammed the phone down onto the counter and swore loudly.

"You'll break it if you're not careful."

The sound of his amused voice drifted across the kitchen and she turned quickly. He was leant casually against the doorframe, a soft grin playing about his lips.

"It's had worse treatment," she muttered, reddening slightly as she wondered just how long he had stood watching her.

Harry walked towards her with slow measured steps, the knowing look in his eyes rooting her to the spot. "Phoning anyone I know?"

"I wasn't phoning anyone actually," she managed to retort, still a little miffed but her annoyance lessening by the second as he approached her. She could see the tell-tale sparkle in his eyes and wondered just what was going through his mind.

"Ah." Harry reached out and took her hand in his, pulling her into the circle of his arms. "I love you."

Smiling, she rested her forehead against his "Show me how much."

Tightening his embrace around her, Harry captured her mouth in a soft kiss, his tongue probing her mouth gently as she opened up to him. Harry felt her body pressed along his and kissed her deeper, his passion for her racing to the surface. Breaking off from the kiss and taking her hand, he led her upstairs and proceeded to do as she had asked.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Last chapter of this fic, to be fair I was going to stop about 5 chapters ago but got talked into writng more...no prizes for guessing who by! _**

**_Thanks to Em for the beta and for helping me with all 12 chapters at some point or another!_**

_**

* * *

**_Ruth continued to type away even as she felt the heat of his stare on her.

"Any closer to finishing that report?"

Breaking off from her task briefly, she sighed before looking at him. Harry had both his palms flat against the surface of her desk as he leant forward slightly.

"Harry, you have to actually give me a chance to do some work if you want me to get anywhere."

"Well I'm sorry Ruth but the clock is ticking." He tapped a finger against his watch for emphasis.

"I'm well aware of that Harry," she practically growled at him. Casting a surreptitious glance around the grid, Harry leant closer to her and lowered his voice.

"Good, because I refuse to miss the start of another film just because you won't stop typing."

"I seem to recall that you were the one that made us late last time."

"It wasn't exactly my fault that terrorists had decided to try and plant a bomb on a train."

"I know and it's not my fault that I have to finish these reports either. All part of the job Harry. You would think that my boss would be encouraging me for my hard work and dedication not bugging me every five minutes so that it takes me twice as long to write them!"

"Bugging you? Ruth, it's almost eight o'clock. Switch the damn computer off already."

"Is that an order?"

"Would you obey it if I said yes?"

"Probably not."

"I thought as much."

Knowing the Grid was deserted apart from the two of them, Ruth didn't hesitate to reach her hand up and grasp the tie that was dangling invitingly in front of her. She raised herself out of her seat as she used the tie for leverage and pulled him towards her. Her lips met his and she didn't hesitate to run her tongue across them and demand entry to his mouth. Harry was only more than happy to oblige and greeted her tongue with his own…which was exactly when the pod doors opened.

Harry and Ruth sprang apart at the sound of the doors opening. They both turned their attention to the pods and watched as Adam sauntered onto the grid, a decidedly cheeky grin plastered on his face.

"Forgot my jacket," he offered by way of explanation as he moved towards his desk. Harry had managed to school his face in to something close to his usual hard to read expression but Ruth was still fighting off the blush that she could feel staining her cheeks.

"I'm guessing that you have more pressing matters to attend to than joining the rest of us for a drink," Adam said as he picked his jacket off the chair and started to put it on. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling at the looks his comment had elicited.

"Adam," Harry began warningly.

Offering a final unrepentant grin he shouted, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," and launched himself through the pods, the sound of his laughter echoing in the silence of the Grid.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that within five minutes the whole team will know about us."

"Hmmm" Harry jumped slightly as he felt her arms go around his waist from behind. He hadn't heard her move. He turned to face her bringing his own arms around her, effectively pulling her closer to his body.

"You're going to have to learn to keep your hands off me if you don't want to be office gossip Ruth," he teased.

"I think it's too late for that now Harry. Besides, I thought you liked having my hands on you?"

"You are a decided tease Miss Evershed." Harry submitted to the impulse to kiss her again, the promise her eyes held was far too over-powering to do otherwise, mumbling orders between kisses and nibbles "Turn…that infernal…machine off…we're going…home."

Laughing, she pulled away from his embrace and reached over onto her desk to switch the computer off. Leaving him briefly, she retreated behind the desk to collect her belongings, she could feel his eyes following her every move and wondered, not for the first time, how she ever managed to get anything done when he watched her so intently.

"We're not going to the cinema then?" she asked playfully as they made their way across the grid, hand in hand. Suddenly, she felt herself crushed against the front of his body, his lips pressed against hers possessively as he claimed her mouth in a heated kiss. She was more than a little dazed when he released her and he felt a surge of pride at making her lose her composure so swiftly.

"Does that answer your question?"

She nodded briefly and eagerly followed him into the pods, the only thought in her head being how to get them home quicker than usual.

* * *

In the following weeks, Ruth and Harry had endured quite a bit of good natured teasing from their colleagues. Ruth had dealt with the brunt of it due to her being an easier target than Harry. Out of the two of them, she was the least likely to post them to some remote location. Harry had offered to have a stern word with them all to make the ribbing stop but Ruth had vetoed the idea, claiming that she would deal with it in her own way. She had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to come along and it was no surprise to her that it was Zaf and Adam, who provided her with one.

As he swept through the grid, Harry had summoned her to his office. It hadn't taken long for Adam to pipe up with a comment designed to make her blush.

"You two spend more time in that office together, than Zaf does in front of the mirror."

Ruth had opened her mouth to tell him to bugger off when Zaf had joined in. They worked like a tag team and it was starting to wear a little thin now.

"Since I don't want to be scarred for life can you make sure to behave yourselves. I wouldn't want to walk in on anything." Zaf wiggled his eyebrows at her as he spoke.

Taking a breath, Ruth looked at Zaf and said, as casually as possible, "Oh don't worry Zaf. We stopped doing it in his office after I accidentally pushed the panic button with the heel of my shoe. You're quite safe."

Trying not to smile at the priceless expression on his face, Ruth turned and swept across the grid and into Harry's office. She chuckled to herself slightly as she entered and Harry raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I don't think Zaf and Adam will be making anymore comments about us in the immediate future."

"Ah," he glanced out onto the Grid briefly and noticed the shell shocked look on Zaf's face. "Do I want to know?" There was a definite hint of amusement in his voice as he spoke and he smiled as he noticed the sparkle in her eyes.

"I told them we stopped having sex in here when I set off the panic button by accident."

As Harry sat laughing behind his desk, Adam and Zaf were still trying to decide whether or not Ruth had been serious.

"They wouldn't…"

"Nah" they both shook their heads and tried to laugh her comment off. Both, however, made a mental note not to wind Ruth up anymore in case she actually provided them with the answer.

Harry was still seated behind his desk as Ruth approached and placed the files in front of him. He captured her wrist lightly in his before she could withdraw fully.

"I did warn you to be careful at the time Ruth."

"I was a little distracted 'at the time' Harry, if you remember rightly."

He smiled at her lovingly and she could see the hint of desire that his eyes held. "I do remember. It's the second time I've saved you from being taken to the cells. Any more brushes with the law and I'll start to worry."

"Oh I wouldn't worry about it Harry. Perhaps I just like the idea of being in handcuffs."

Throwing caution to the wind, she leant forward and brushed her lips lightly against his before she stepped back from him, winked and left him thinking of a way to smuggle a pair off the Grid…

* * *

The End.


End file.
